Kim Sun-Il, R.I.P
Michelle Malkin put it best:
Pray for Kim’s family. Don’t ever get used to this. And thank you, South Korea, for not being Spain.
I have nothing to add to that, except the converse: no thanks to you, Spain, for being Spain.
UPDATE: Actually, I do have something else to add. Right now would be an excellent time for Spain to redeem itself by sending its troops back to Iraq. It would be an equally excellent time for South Korea to step up its commitment, if only by a token amount, and for other free countries who don’t have forces in thje region to send them there now.
June 22nd, 2004 at 8:01 pm
“Actually, I do have something else to add. Right now would be an excellent time for Spain to redeem itself by sending its troops back to Iraq. It would be an equally excellent time for South Korea to step up its commitment, if only by a token amount, and for other free countries who don’t have forces in thje region to send them there now.”
That would be amazing, for sure.
June 22nd, 2004 at 9:11 pm
I think South Korea’s continued commitment to send an additional 3,000 troops is more than sufficient from S.K. in terms of sending the right message, and I’m not certain that sending more troops would really strengthen the message. However, if other countries sent troops that would send a slightly different and powerful message and should be encouraged.
For instance, I have some hopes India will send troops as they previously said -though under the BJP govt - that a UN resolution would be enough political cover that they could send troops. Now would be a good time though immediately after June 30 would make a nice PR coup for the new Iraq govt.
As to Spain, I have no hopes that a government led by Mr Bean and that gives medals to generals for withdrawing will be leaving the axis of weasels anytime soon.
June 22nd, 2004 at 9:24 pm
I agree - South Korea is definitely doing its share. I would have liked to see a token increase, though, just to punish al-Qaeda. Sending exactly the same number of troops that you were going to send anyway is not a punishment.
June 25th, 2004 at 2:00 am
this news made me cry. i mean, when he pleaded for his life, that was really gut-wrenching, for koreans are very reserved and stoic, and for him to show such emotions showed that he was that scared. That he has lost that korea in him.